"For our young English players it is great that they are playing in matches that really matter while under pressure and they are being really successful because that will help England in the long run", he added. We are keeping that door open.

Southgate led England to the World Cup semi-finals a year ago - the first time they had reached that stage since 1990 - and their success in Russian Federation prompted fervent celebrations from fans back home.

"So is it a preference for me that everybody can always see England matches?" The midfielder has also not played since the Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City on 9 April and has since undergone surgery on a groin problem but he, too, has been included in the initial squad.

England can take just 22 players to the Finals, so there will be a cut-off at some stage, but with so many absences for the squad's first two training camps, Southgate believes it's the right approach. Fabian Delph, John Stones and Joe Gomez will also be assessed having played relatively minor roles for their clubs over the past few months, while Dele Alli reported a minor hamstring problem on the final afternoon of the Premier League season. Ben Chilwell and Danny Rose are Southgate's left backs because they have been "committed to the England shirt over the last period of time".

Southgate resisted temptation to call up any players from the England Under-21s, who are preparing for the European Championship in Italy.

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